The US and Canada have been named as the hosts of the 2025 rugby league World Cup as the sport attempts to grow beyond its traditional heartlands.

It will be the first time the tournament has been staged outside Europe and Australasia.

North America’s bid was given the green light during the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) Congress last week, following a recommendation by the RLIF.

The bid was coordinated by sports marketing agency Moore Sports International, which also bid for the 2021 edition of the tournament. However, the US and Canada lost out to England on that occasion.

Nigel Wood, RLIF chair, said the award represented a “historic moment in the global development of rugby league”.

“The US and Canada provides world-class stadia allied to a significant multi-cultural population which made the bid so persuasive,” he added.

“It is exciting that our sport is expanding into a new destination for our premier event and we will work with our members in the US and Canada and Moore Sports to expand the presence of our sport in these countries during the lead into the 2025 World Cup.”

When Moore Sports International made the original bid for the 2021 World Cup, chief executive Jason Moore said the organisation would search for National Football League (NFL) and Major League Soccer (MLS) venues “across eight to 10 major markets” to host matches.

He said there was “strong interest of potential host cities, stadiums, sponsors and other local stakeholders across the US”.